What National Test Pilot School does

National Test Pilot School (NTPS), founded in 1981 and headquartered at Mojave Air and Space Port in California, is a non-profit flight test education institution that trains military and civilian test pilots, flight test engineers (FTEs), and aerospace graduate students in the mastery of flight test sciences. NTPS serves customers across more than 40 countries, including U.S. and allied military services (U.S. Space Force, Royal Canadian Air Force, Italian Military, Indian Air Force, Israeli Air Force), civil aviation authorities (FAA), space and research agencies (NASA, NASA Ames, NASA Armstrong), and aerospace OEMs and operators (Gulfstream, Bell Helicopters, Airbus Helicopters, Beta Technologies). The school's customer base is approximately 10-30 long-course students and 200-400 short-course students per year, supplemented by research and engineering services clients.

NTPS's core technology stack comprises more than 30 specially instrumented aircraft (including the T-38 Talon, MiG-21UM, L-39, EC145, King Air, Sabreliner, and a C-150 configured as an Optionally Piloted Aircraft for UAV flight test training), an on-site suite of variable-feel and variable-stability flight simulators, down-linked PCM/FM telemetry operating in C and L bands at up to 20 Mbps, and access to the 128,000 square nautical mile R-2508 Complex test range shared with Edwards AFB and China Lake NAS. Academic instruction is delivered via on-campus, distance-learning, and hybrid modalities through a Canvas-based LMS. The institution holds unique regulatory credentials: WSCUC institutional accreditation, ABET accreditation for the MSFTE degree, full EASA Part-ORA Approved Training Organization certification (certificate EASA.ATO.0027), and ISO 9001:2015 certification, making it the only test pilot school in the world with institutional accreditation and the first EASA-certified ATO for Part-FCL flight test training.

NTPS generates revenue primarily through tuition for its 50-week Professional Course priced at just under $1M, EASA Category 1/Category 2 courses (31 and 22 weeks), Performance and Flying Qualities and Systems Professional Courses (26 and 24 weeks), accredited Master of Science degrees (MSFTE and MSFT&E), a portfolio of short courses ($10K-$600K per course), UPRT courses ($9K-$17K per pilot), academic modules ($3,100 per core module), on-demand courses, and distance education. A wholly-owned subsidiary, Flight Research International LLC (acquired December 2022), provides additional aircraft maintenance, UPRT, and high-performance flight training. NTPS also monetizes its infrastructure through the National Flight Test Institute, offering independent-party technical services, consulting, test platform leasing, and simulator and telemetry rentals. Multi-year contracts with the FAA, Royal Canadian Air Force, U.S. Space Force, and unnamed leading global OEMs anchor enterprise revenue, while self-serve course applications via ntps.edu drive individual enrollment.

Name

National Test Pilot School

Legal name

National Test Pilot School

Website

https://ntps.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

National Test Pilot School is a non-profit flight test education institution founded in 1981 at Mojave Air and Space Port, training military and civilian test pilots, flight test engineers, and graduate students from 40+ countries through accredited Professional Courses, Master of Science degrees, and short programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Flight Test Education and Training

NAICS

Flight Training (611512), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Aviation & Aerospace (EDABALAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Avionics Test, Simulation & Calibration Equipment (IMABAFAN)

Keywords

• Flight test training
• Test pilot education
• Flight test engineering
• Aviation safety training
• UPRT courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Mojave

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Professional Course Tuition: The flagship 50-week Professional Course for Test Pilots and Flight Test Engineers represents the primary revenue stream. Pricing is approximately $1 million for the complete program. Additional professional courses include EASA Category 1 (31 weeks) and Category 2 (22 weeks) courses, Performance and Flying Qualities courses (26 weeks), and Systems Professional Courses (24 weeks).
2. Short Course Programs: NTPS offers various short courses ranging from a few days to 6 weeks in duration. Pricing varies widely from $1,000 to over $600,000 depending on course type, duration, and aircraft requirements. Includes UPRT courses, academic modules, on-demand courses, and specialized training.
3. Master's Degree Programs: NTPS offers Master of Science degrees in Flight Test Engineering (MSFTE) and Flight Test and Evaluation (MSFT&E) through accredited graduate programs. These degree programs are available as part of the professional course track or as academic-only tracks for students not attending flight courses.
4. Research and Technical Services: NTPS provides consulting, independent party technical services, and flight test engineering support through the National Flight Test Institute. Services include aircraft leasing, telemetry equipment rental, control room access, and engineering support for external aerospace customers.
5. UPRT Training: Specialized Upset Prevention and Recovery Training courses for pilots, ranging from $9,000 to $17,000 per pilot depending on aircraft type and course scope.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

National Test Pilot School is a non-profit flight test education and training institution offering a 50-week Professional Course, Master of Science degrees in Flight Test Engineering and Flight Test and Evaluation, EASA-certified professional courses (Category 1 and Category 2), short courses, UPRT (Upset Prevention and Recovery Training), academic modules, and graduate assistant programs. The school also provides independent technical consulting, flight test engineering services, aircraft leasing, telemetry, and simulator access through the National Flight Test Institute, with operations at Mojave Air and Space Port using over 30 specially instrumented aircraft.

Product overview

National Test Pilot School (NTPS) is a flight test education and training institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of programs and services centered on the science and discipline of flight testing. Its core educational offerings include a 50-week Professional Course (leading to Master of Science degrees in Flight Test Engineering or Flight Test and Evaluation), shorter intensive programs (Academic Modules, Short Courses, On-Demand Courses), and specialized UPRT courses. NTPS holds the unique distinction of being the world's only institutionally accredited test pilot school (WSCUC), the first and only EASA Part-ORA approved training organization for flight test, and is ABET-accredited. Its offerings are delivered at its Mojave, California facility using over 30 instrumented aircraft and advanced simulators, supported by a subsidiary, Flight Research International LLC (acquired 2022), which provides additional aircraft maintenance, UPRT, and high-performance flight training services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Professional Course A 50-week intensive flight test education program preparing graduates to perform as test pilots or flight test engineers. Covers performance, flying qualities, and systems testing for fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft. Approximately $1 million for the complete program.
• Master of Science in Flight Test Engineering (MSFTE) An accredited Master of Science degree in Flight Test Engineering offered through WSCUC institutional accreditation. Typically taken concurrently with the Professional Course as part of the professional track.
• Master of Science in Flight Test and Evaluation (MSFT&E) An accredited Master of Science degree in Flight Test and Evaluation, available in professional and academic tracks. The academic track is intended for masters-only students without requiring concurrent flight test course enrollment.
• EASA Category 1 Flight Test Course A 31-week EASA Part-ORA approved training course leading to EASA Flight Test Rating CAT 1 certification for Test Pilots and Lead Flight Test Engineers, available for both fixed-wing and rotary-wing.
• EASA Category 2 Flight Test Course An approximately 22-week EASA Part-ORA approved training course for Test Pilots and Lead Flight Test Engineers, providing EASA Category 2 flight test certification for both fixed-wing and rotary-wing.
• Performance and Flying Qualities Professional Course A 26-week specialized professional course focusing on Performance and Flying Qualities (P&FQ) testing for both fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, providing in-depth training in aircraft performance evaluation and handling qualities assessment.
• Systems Professional Course A 24-week specialized professional course focusing on systems testing, covering avionics, communication/navigation systems, radar, EO/IR, weapons integration, and other aircraft systems testing for both fixed-wing and rotary-wing.
• Short Courses A variety of short courses ranging from a few days to six weeks, covering introductory and advanced topics in flight testing. Count toward a Graduate Certificate or Master's Degree and include Performance and Flying Qualities (P&FQ) testing courses for both fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft. Pricing ranges from $10,000 to over $600,000.
• Academic Modules Individual academic modules available in on-campus classroom, distance learning, or combined modalities. Core modules cover Fundamentals of Flight Test, Test Management/OT&E, and Capstone Projects. Systems modules include avionics, radar, EO/IR, NVG/HMD, weapons integration, and comm/nav/GPS testing. Core modules priced at $3,100 per module.
• UPRT (Upset Prevention and Recovery Training) Advanced pilot training courses offering direct exposure to upset recovery techniques and scenarios. Offerings include Transport Jet UPRT ($17,000), All Attitude Jet UPRT ($15,000), Turboprop UPRT ($12,000), Helicopter UPRT ($11,000), CJP UPRT ($11,000), and Refresher courses ($9,000). Uses aircraft including the Cirrus SR22 and Sabreliner.
• On-Demand Courses Self-paced or scheduled courses available for various skill levels on demand. Offerings include EASA Bridging Courses ($10,000-$999,000), EASA Flight Test Instructor Course, Technical Pilot Course ($26,500), Flight Test Aviation Safety Course ($1,600), Spin Training ($16,500), Formation Training ($12,500), CRM Initial ($2,200), CRM Refresher ($1,000).
• Distance Education Remote learning options allowing students to take academic modules via distance learning, either exclusively or in combination with on-campus instruction. Utilizes a Learning Management System (Canvas) for delivery.
• Graduate Assistant (GA) Program

Quantifiable outcome

• First test pilot school in the world to achieve Institutional Accreditation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• NASA Ames Research CenterflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 March 2026NTPS officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding with NASA Ames Research Center to strengthen collaboration in aeronautics and aerospace research. The partnership opens doors to joint research, flight test innovation, expert exchange, curriculum development, and evaluation of next-generation aerospace concepts.
• Flight Level Engineering (FLE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 March 2025MOA marking collaborative effort to advance flight test training, engineering development, and aerospace research. Focus areas include flight test training and education, joint R&D, and resource sharing leveraging specialized laboratories, simulators, aircraft, and training resources.
• Flight Research International LLC (FRI)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 December 2022NTPS acquired Flight Research Inc assets and created Flight Research International LLC as a new NTPS not-for-profit business unit. FRI is a world leader in aircraft maintenance, advanced flight training specializing in upset prevention and recovery training, flight test support, and custom high-performance aircraft support.
• Indian Air Force Test Pilot School (IAFTPS)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 April 2022IAFTPS staff and students visited NTPS for 2-day field trip in the U.S. to share experience and knowledge in Flight Test education through presentations, briefings, and flights on both fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft.
• Politecnico di TorinocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 November 2021MOU between NTPS and Politecnico di Torino (Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering) for collaboration in graduate-level education of aerospace engineers. Includes faculty exchange, curriculum development, and joint academic programs.
• Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical partner for research and flight test engineering services. AFRL collaborates with NTPS through the National Flight Test Institute.
• NASAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNASA partners with NTPS for flight test education and research collaboration through the National Flight Test Institute. NASA Armstrong research test pilots participate in NTPS events.
• Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAA has a multi-year contract with NTPS for Initial and Recurrent Flight Test Training for Flight Test Pilots and FTEs. FAA Designated Engineering Representatives (DER) available through NTPS staff.
• Society of Experimental Test Pilots (SETP)coreOthersNTPS is SETP-recognized. Many NTPS staff and alumni are SETP Fellows. NTPS participates in SETP Symposium and maintains close ties with the society.
• Mojave Air and Space PortcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNTPS is located at and partners with Mojave Air and Space Port, providing access to world-class aerospace testing facilities and proximity to companies like Virgin Galactic, Scaled Composites, and Stratolaunch.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Empire Test Pilots' School (ETPS): UK's Royal Air Force-sponsored test pilot school at Boscombe Down, training UK and allied-nation military and civilian test pilots. The European counterpart to NTPS with comparable professional-course scope and international cohort profile.
• EPNER (French Test Pilot School): French military test pilot school (École du Personnel Navigant d'Essais et de Réception), training French and allied military test pilots. NTPS President Luca Campello is an EPNER graduate; EPNER is a key comparator for curriculum and credentialing in Europe.
• U.S. Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS): U.S. Navy's test pilot school at NAS Patuxent River, training Navy and Marine Corps test pilots and flight test engineers. The closest U.S. peer in mission and curriculum; differs in serving primarily uniformed U.S. naval aviators rather than international/civilian customers.
• U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School (USAF TPS): Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards AFB trains USAF, allied, and some international military test pilots. Operates adjacent to the R-2508 range that NTPS accesses; the most direct curriculum overlap, though USAF TPS serves a uniformed-officer mission.

Broad incumbents

• L3Harris Airline Academy: L3Harris commercial pilot training arm, including cadet and type-rating programs. Operates at greater scale in commercial pilot training and serves as a benchmark for how training organizations scale internationally.
• FlightSafety International: Major commercial pilot training provider offering type ratings, recurrent training, and UPRT. Adjacent to NTPS in advanced pilot training, particularly UPRT, but focused on airline/commercial pilot certification rather than test pilot credentials.
• CAE: Global leader in flight simulation and training, including pilot training services and simulator manufacturing. While CAE does not run a civilian test pilot school, it competes in adjacent flight-crew training markets (UPRT, type rating) and supplies many of the simulators used in flight test curricula.

Emerging players

• Aviation Safety Resources (UPRT providers): Independent UPRT training providers serving commercial operators under ICAO/FAA upset-recovery mandates. Represents the fragmented competitive set in the UPRT market segment that NTPS's FRI subsidiary is expanding into.

Others

• Politecnico di Torino (DIMEAS): Italian university partner with NTPS via 2021 MOU for graduate aerospace engineering education, faculty exchange, and curriculum collaboration. Comparable as an academic aerospace education counterpart rather than a direct competitor.

Regional players

• Indian Air Force Test Pilot School (IAFTPS): India's Air Force test pilot school, which has a formal knowledge-exchange relationship with NTPS (2022 staff visit). Competes for Indian Air Force test pilot training pipeline that NTPS has historically served.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TheNTPS
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/TheNTPS
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheNTPS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-test-pilot-school
• Instagraminstagram.com/thentps

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about National Test Pilot School